FERNWOOD FITNESS - PULSE eMagazine - Issue#7 - Flipbook - Page 15
Asia
Asia, with its diverse popula琀椀ons, exhibits varying
cancer pa琀琀erns. The IARC notes that lung, breast,
and colorectal cancers are among the most common
in this region. In countries like China and Japan,
stomach and liver cancers are also prevalent due
to risk factors like Helicobacter pylori infec琀椀on and
hepa琀椀琀椀s B and C virus infec琀椀ons. The incidence
rates in Asia are generally lower than in Western
countries but are rising due to changes in lifestyle
factors and ageing popula琀椀ons.
Where You
Live Matters
Care for cancer,
like so many other
diseases, re昀氀ects
the inequali琀椀es and
inequi琀椀es of our world.
The clearest dis琀椀nc琀椀on
is between high- and
low-income countries,
with comprehensive
treatment reportedly
available in more than
90% of high-income
countries but
less than 15% of low
income countries.
Similarly, the survival of
children diagnosed with
cancer is more than 80%
in high income countries,
and less than 30% in
low- and middle-income
countries. And breast
cancer survival 昀椀ve years
a昀琀er diagnosis now
exceeds 80% in most
high-income countries,
compared with 66% in
India and just 40% in
South Africa.
Australia
In Australia, cancer is a major cause of illness. The Australian Ins琀椀tute of Health and Welfare
(AIHW) reports that the most common cancers in Australia (excluding non-melanoma skin
cancer) are prostate, breast, colorectal, melanoma of the skin, and lung cancer. In 2021, it
was es琀椀mated that 150,000 new cases of cancer would be diagnosed in Australia, with the
age-standardised rate being 470 cases per 100,000 people.